


Nightwing: Talons Of The Owls

by TheHaven



Category: Batman (Comics), Nightwing (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dick Grayson is a Talon, Pre Robin
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-23
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-08-28 05:15:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 4,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16717187
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHaven/pseuds/TheHaven
Summary: What if Bruce Wayne never took a young Dick Grayson in after his parent's died? What if.... Dick Grayson became the Gray-son of Gotham? A Talon?A Talon of... The Court of Owls.SCRAPPED ITS DONE SORRY





	1. Chapter 1

It's a cold night outside. The moon and the stars hanging above it all, a chilled breeze goes through the trees. A Barn Owl flies overhead, slowly making its descent onto a tree branch, it's talons digging into the wood. It's perched over some trailers, Haly's Circus. The greatest show on earth. There's a rustling of leaves and branches as something leaps from tree to tree. There's laughter coming from it. A young boy. Dick Grayson. Still in his blue and black costume from the show they had just finished up. He should be asleep now, but the trees and cold night air are just begging to be explored. He took a deep breath as his feet dangled from off the branch. He held his arm around the tree, admiring what he surveyed. Haly's circus. Greatest show on earth. It took him a few seconds to realize he had a barn owl for company with him. He gasped when he saw it staring at him.

"hoo?" Dick couldn't take his eyes of the bird in front of him. It seemed so, majestic. Regal even. His hand shook as he put his hand out to touch it's feathers. And the owl didn't move, it welcomed his touch. It raised it's head into his hand as he scratched it.

They sat there for a while. Silently, happily. Dick always loved the bright lights and the attention, but sometimes this is what people need. Quite. Reflections. They saw the lights from all the trailers go down one by one. 

"Dick! Dick! Time to go to bed! We've got to pack up tomorrow!" The voice of his father calls out from the collection of trailers. Dick sighed as he got up to his feet on the branch, waved a little wave to his new feathered friend, and leaped from branch to branch, feeling the cold air rush through his hair until he finally made it down.

"Hoo" The owl hooed again, before fixing it's feathers and diving into the air. And the poor squirrel on the ground never saw it coming. The talons tear straight into it with no resistance.

_Nightwing: Talon of the Owls_.


	2. Chapter 2

The sun shun bright through the Grayson's trailer window, hitting Dick square in the eyes. He groaned as he stretched in his bed.  
"G'morning" He groaned out as he rubbed his eyes and turned to see his mother and father, already out of bed and making their way out.  
"Hey there son, your mother and I are gonna be helping Mr. Haly get everything in order. Why don't you get all your own stuff packed up?"

"Okay" He said, brushing off the sleep and starting to get all the mess on the floor in order, homework sheets, souvenirs, everything the three of them had accumulated over the years. There were some newspaper clippings of the circus on the floor so he grabbed those and neatly put them back on his bed.  
After a while he finished and let himself fall back on his bed. Staring at the ceiling. Tomorrow is gonna be a big day. They'll hit the road and they won't stop until they meet their destination. 

Gotham city.

==================================================

After a few hours and some last minute checking. They were ready for their trip. Dick and his parent filed into their car and were following Mr. Haly, with everyone else behind. He looked out the window into the dark night sky, seeing all the stars and moon hanging above them. And an owl, that same owl, was flying above them. Dick had to squint his eyes to make it out but it looked like it was... Following them?

Dick snapped out of it. It couldn't be that same owl, could it? Oh well, he had other things on his mind. Like Gotham. 

"Hey dad?" Dick said.  
"Yeah, buddy?"  
"What do we do after Gotham? I mean, we've been working to get there for so long, but what do we do when we're done?" He asked. For as long as Dick could remember, they'd wanted to perform in Gotham. In Gotham, you pull out all the stops, if you don't wow the crowd, what are you even doing? After every show dad would always find the thing they did best and say "Just wait till we pull that off in Gotham!"

"Hmmm" His dad started. "How about Metropolis? sure they have someone who can actually fly, but when they see us, they'll believe normal people can fly too." He said. Mary turned in her seat to face Dick.  
"Or maybe we'll relax for a bit, maybe enroll you in school?" She suggested. The books they'd buy while on the road only go up to so many grades. Dad laughed at the idea.  
"Gosh Mary, you're supposed to excite him not scare him!" He chuckled. She sighed and rolled her eyes as she turned back into her seat.  
"Well he's gonna need some more books soon, I think we should stop by a store while we're there, and ma-- JOHN STOP" Her explanation was interrupted by a hit of the brakes. 

An owl. The same owl that Dick had seen the other day, had flown straight into the windshield before banking upright. The sudden stop sent them all lurching forward. Dick hit his head on the back of his mother's chair.  
"Oww." He groaned, nursing his forehead.

Mom and dad shook it off and continued driving. Muttering something about crazy birds and poor things not knowing where they're going.  
"How close are we, dad?"  
"Not very, bud. Why don't you get some rest? We're gonna be on our feet all day tomorrow." Dick took the advice and rested his hand on his shoulder. Looking into the stars, waiting for sleep to take him.

=======================================================================

In a room held alight by candles on the walls, there are men and women with masks, featureless white masks, almost like an owl’s own face. There’s one man in particular, he’s sitting at the head of the long table they had all gathered around. They all looked over to him as he raised a hand to silence the small chatter that spread around the table. “Ladies, gentlemen, we are gathered here today as we will soon see, from aloft our perch. The death of the Flying Graysons. Now, i know what you’re thinking, how do i know this? Well, dear flock of mine. I’ve sent it into motion. In only a matter of days, young Dick Grayson will be one of our own, the most talented circus boy we’ve seen in many months. And after our collection of him? We will be graced.”

“With a Talon for our very own court.”


	3. Chapter 3

It won't be much longer now, the audience is piling in. Ready for the show. Dick and his parents stood back behind the curtains in the dark by a mass of equipment and other performers. Lion tamers, elephant tamers, the clowns that still scared Dick, he stood with all of them. Hair and makeup took ages but they were finally ready. In their black and blue uniforms, with bright blue feathered accents on the sides they sat together, waiting for their cue to go up. The butterflies were so intense for him that he was shaking in his uniform. His father put a hand on his shoulder in an attempt to relax him.

"Easy, bud. Just a little longer, then we get to wow 'em." He assured. And he was right. Everything in their life was leading up to this moment. Central, Opal, Keystone, they all paled in comparison to this moment. If you don't pull out all the stops in Gotham... What are you even doing?

Behind them came Mr. Haly. Who looked like he had been pulled in every possible direction for the past day and a half, making sure that everything was working as smoothly as possible. He walked up panting and frustrated.  
"Something wrong, Haly?" Mary asked.  
"It's nothing, just thugs thinking they can push us around." He said. Waving a hand and sighing. "But it doesn't matter now." He continued.  
"Boston is almost done. After him, it's your turn." He crouched down to Dick's level, putting his hands on his shoulders.

"Alright kid, you know what I always say before a show?"  
  
"Don't screw it up?"  
"Ye- no! Aside from that! What I always say before a show, is that in this moment. This little bit in time. All that matters is you, and what are you gonna do with that attention, Dick?" He said, squeezing Dick's shoulders. Dick could feel the excitement coming from him.

"Take the great leap?"  
"Yes! That's it bud! Take the great leap! and Don't look back!" He yelped out.  
"Now get out there and put on a show! Gotham's waiting!"  
\------  
From atop the platform, Dick Grayson sees it all, every excited face, ever phone held up. Every shout, heckle. He's a like bird from up here, like a bird of prey surveying it's forest. His parents were right behind him. Waving at the crowd with bright smiles across their faces. Dad had his arm around mom, Dick couldn't hear them over the noise but he heard pieces of it.  
"Wayne? Here?"

The talk stopped as they took their places. They'd practiced and discussed this for weeks. First, dad would go from one platform to the other and perform a triple flip before landing gracefully at the other platform. Then he would return to his trapeze, and when it was mom's turn, after her triple flips, dad would catch her and gracefully return once again to the other platform. And that left Dick. Mom and dad would watch from their spot as Dick would perform a quadruple flip and catch the trapeze.

Dad took his place and after a single jump in place, took the great leap into the air.  
One flip.  
Two flip.  
Three flip.  
Catch!  
One down, two more to go. Now it was mom's turn. Dad returned the to other trapeze from his short break and was poised to catch her. One flip, two flips. She was full of grace in the air as she was caught by dad. Wait.

What's wrong with the rope?  
Oh god. No. Nonononono They're falling. In seconds the smiles from their faces fade into confusion. And then fear. They fell together, and the sound they made when their bodies hit the floor will haunt him for the rest of his life. John and Mary Grayson took the great leap. And somewhere out there in the dark Gotham sky....

Is an owl.


	4. Chapter 4

There’s a man in the crowd as they fell. Bruce Wayne, he thought how cruel fate was as he saw a young boy climb down the ladder and fall on his shoulder before picking himself up and running to his parents. Its almost too familiar, it’s like he’s back there, in the alley where mother and father died. And how he was alone. But this child will not be alone. Bruce stood up from his seat as he walked moved aside from the other people frozen in place at the horror of what had occurred. But the boy needs help.  
He starts pushing past them, making his way down the stairs into the stage. Two men in suits, expensive suits. Almost as expensive as his stand in front of him blocking the path. There’s one with hair as white as snow and dark sunglasses holding his hand out.

“Sir, please. You’re not allowed onto the stage.”  
“Please, he needs help. If you could just let m—“  
“Sir. No one is allowed onto the stage.” Bruce tired to move past him. Meeting a hand on his chest. He looked over to the boy, kneeling in front of his mother and father.

“Sir, he’ll be okay.”  
“Are... Are you sure?”  
“Yes sir.”   
There’s a sense of defeat in him. He was right there, so close to helping him. Why did he come here? Was this one big joke from the universe? It’s bad enough that he lost his. But now he couldn’t even help another child.

———

The remaining hours of the day are a whirlwind of questions and condolences. And the phrase “if you need anything let us know” is said more times than Dick could count.  
It felt like he almost used all of his emotion up. All those tears and shouts and screams to wake up drained him of any other feeling. He sat back in the trailer, holding his mother’s necklace in his hand. And though he’s staring right at it, it feels like he’s staring straight through it.

He’s in a daze and he doesn’t know how to get out of it. He’s been sitting here for the past three hours with nothing but his thoughts replaying that moment in his head. He heard a knock on the door. But the sound almost didn’t register in his brain. He sat there still staring into his hand. After another knock he came back to reality and forced the words out of his mouth.

“Come in.” He said, his throat still hurt from all the screaming. The door opened and there was a tall man, with clean combed black hair and pale skin. Wearing a fancy suit. He felt, imposing. Like he commanded a certain amount of attention. But there was a small, kind smile on his face. He pointed to the empty spot by his bed. 

“May I sit?” He asked.  
“‘Kay.” Dick said. Throat still sore. He walked over and slowly sat down onto the bed. Holding his hands together.  
“Who are you?” Dick asked.  
“My name is Lincoln, Lincoln March.” He explained. Dick wondered if he was supposed to know who that is.   
“I own a lot of things here in Gotham. An—“  
“Like Bruce Wayne?” Lincoln took a deep breath at that, for some reason.  
“No, not like Bruce Wayne.” He answered. “As I was saying. I was discussing things with Mr. Haly, things about you. And how... You have no one.”  
“I have the circus.” Dick defended.  
“Yes, the circus. But we discussed the future of it. And he’s not sure where things will be headed soon. And I made an offer to him. You need a lot of things Dick, a place to call your own. Somewhere where you can really stay. And I have that.”  
“What are you saying?”  
“I’m saying, Dick... Would you like to be taken under my wing?” Lincoln said, there was something in his eyes. An almost orange tint as he said it.  
“Dick, I know how you’re feeling right now. And I want to help you. Will you let me help you?”

Thoughts race through his head. Haly, the circus... Going under? Staying in a place and not moving again? It’s too much. He needs to see what mom and dad think and maybe then they—

Oh, right. They’re not here.

And he’s alone. But, if he goes with him... He won’t be, he’ll be... Content? Is that what he would be?

“I...”  
“Dick, this is your decision now.” Lincoln said.  
“Y-yeah. I wanna go. I don’t wanna be here anymore.”  
“Okay, that’s okay. I promise you that when you’re with me, I’ll take care of you. And I won’t let anything happen to you. Okay?” Lincoln said. Dick looked down at the ground for a while, pondering the choice. He lifted his head up.  
“Okay.”   
Lincoln smiled. “You won’t regret this, Dick. Now, how does living in a mansion sound?”   
If Dick was being honest, it sounded really nice. He could finally slow down, like mom and dad wanted. The smile one Lincoln’s face is still there. The slight orange tint in his eyes still present. And... For some reason, Dick can feel something as they step outside the trailer to meet and discuss things with Mr. Haly. He turned around to see his trailer in the dark. And on top of it sat.... 

An Owl


	5. Chapter 5

“Where are you going?” Dick asked Lincoln as adjusted his suit in the mirror. They were both in his room getting ready for some sort of meeting that Lincoln still had not told Dick about.  
“We, are going to meet some very important people, my boy.” He told him as he finished adjusting his tie to look at him. “We?” Dick questioned. 

“Of course.” Lincoln said. “I’ve been meaning to have you meet some of my partners, in business. And in life. The ones we’ll be meeting tonight are the most prestigious group of individuals in Gotham itself. And they’ve been wanting to meet you for quite some time now.” He said, with almost an air of pride in his voice. “Why?” Dick asked. He didn’t think he added anything special to Lincoln. They had grown close these past few months, the martial arts training had really brought them closer together. But Dick still felt like he was just a young circus boy, and that was all he was. A young lost boy, taken in by a man who wanted to help. Lincoln had finished his getting ready and turned to Dick with a smile on his face. “Ready to go, my boy?” He asked. Dick felt a small smile on his face in return, it almost feels like he’s starting to matter to him. That Lincoln had taken pride in him. Like a son, even. 

“Yeah. I am.” He replied. And they both walked out together outside and to the car. It was a short ride, Dick looked out the window and into the night stars. Remembering how he did the same thing when he had arrived in Gotham, with mom and dad. Lincoln stopped the car in front of an abandoned building, in a almost equally abandoned neighborhood. He looked around, this didn’t seem… Right. 

“Is this it?” Dick questioned.   
“It is indeed, my boy. Now come on. We have some discussing to do.” Lincoln said as he put his arm on his shoulder, guiding him into the house. The door was, surprisingly still attached to the building, with a large hole in to where Lincoln could probably put his head through it.   
“Hello? We’ve arrived!” He called out. Knocking on the door could have very well broke it, so he decided against it. They stood there for a brief moment. Awaiting a response. Dick didn’t have a good feeling about this? Why would the so called “Elite members of Gotham” be here of all places? But then, a voiced rang out from the house. “Quite! How many times do we have to say it?!” It shouted. Was this a common occurrence? They voice got closer as Dick saw a man in a old, raggedy suit approaching the door. He instinctively stepped back, but Lincoln held him in place. “It’s alright, my boy.” He assured. The man was, a bit older than Lincoln by the looks of it. He had a long scar across his cheek. Almost like what Dick thought a grizzled veteran would look like. He had relatively long white hair behind that went down to almost below his shoulder. And… Orange eyes? And something on his neck… Like his veins were more pronounced. 

“Tobias.” Lincoln said.   
“Lincoln.” He replied. His voice was gruff as he did, he looked down to Dick, who was still slightly scared of him. “Is this him?” He said.   
“It is indeed.” Lincoln assured. “Say hello, Dick.” Lincoln told him as he gave him a light push on the back. “H-Hi..” Dick stuttered. The man let out a short laugh from his nose.   
“And… He’s supposed to be the one?” Tobias said with a tinge of disbelief. “Tobias, may we discuss this inside please? The winter air is a tad much for us.” Lincoln asked. Tobias grunted and opened the door and with a motion of his hand welcomed them in. And it was at that moment, Dick Grayson realized… He was in over his head. They walked down the dimly lit hall of the house, old pictures that looked like they were made in the early 1900’s, yet, the people in the photos were wearing modern suits and dresses? What was this place that he found himself in? They kept walking to meet a small dining room, with the table set for three, was he supposed to eat dinner with them? “Take a seat.” Tobias told them as he sat himself down and pulled his plate of steak towards him. Dick looked at him and noticed he was wearing something almost, militaristic? There were pouches along his waist. A bandolier of some sorts around his chest. What was going on here?

“So…” Lincoln said in a attempt to start the conversation. “Dick and I have been hard at work, with the arts as you know, and he is a masterful acrobat as well.” He praised. Tobias grunted a bit in acknowledgement. “And, according to you, he’s ready.” He stated.   
“Yes. I do believe he is.” Lincoln said as he cut up his food, not looking away from Tobias. Dick sat next to Lincoln and the feelings that were going through him were, uncomfortable to say the least. Almost as if Tobias and Lincoln were arguing over him. Tobias put his hands on the table and rose up. 

“Well, let’s get to it then. Shall we?” He said with a devilish smile.  
“Of course, if you’ll allow me and my ward a minute or two of privacy.” Lincoln requested.   
“Fine. But i’m not waiting long.” He said as he walked out of the room and back down the hall. Lincoln turned to Dick and put his hands on his shoulders. “I wanna go home.” Were the first words out of his mouth. “We can’t” Lincoln said. “There’s something here that you need to see, that i’ve trained you for.”

“What is it? What’s going on? Dick almost demanded from him. What was all this for? What purpose was he supposed to fill? 

“I promise it will all make sense after this, okay? Just, trust me.” He pleaded. “Do you trust me, my boy?” Dick almost didn’t say anything for a second. But then nodded. “That’s my boy. Now follow me.” He said as they both went back to the hall, with the strange pictures. They approached another door with… An owl on it. A slightly abstract painting of a barn owl in mid flight, staring directly at the viewer. Dick gulped. What was with those things?   
“Dick…” Lincoln said as he took a deep breath. “What I am about to show you is what you were born to do. It’s your calling, your birthright. Your destiny.” Lincoln opened the door as him and Dick walked in. Tobias was standing there, in a dimly lit room held slightly alight by a candle in his hand. In the center of the room was some… Suit? Now that Dick saw it, he realized that Tobias was wearing the something just like it. It was a slight black, with gold edges, and piercing round orange eyes with pronounced gold eyebrows above them. And along the chest was small a belt that held god knows what. Dick stepped forward and circled the suit to find two sheaths for a large curved knives on each side of the waist.   
This, is what Lincoln wanted him to become? This was something he was destined for? It looks the suit of a killer. He wasn’t a killer! Or… was he supposed to be? What was this? Why is he this? Why can’t he just go home? He started breathing heavy, his shoulders rose and fell  
As he stared at the suit, armor, whatever it was. He felt a hand on his shoulder. Lincoln. Dick could tell it was supposed to be comforting, but it only made the pit in his stomach deeper.

“Dick, when your parents fell that night, so many months ago. It was the work of terrible, terrible people. The Zucco family had threatened Mr. Haly for protection money. But he was too stubborn. Too foolish to take it.”

“Wh--What does that have to do with this? What does this mean?”

“Calm yourself, my boy. It will all make sense soon. The Zucco family is responsible for you parents’ death. And with the help of my friends, the ones I told you about tonight, the most elite in the city, we will avenge your mother, and your father. All you have to do, is put on that suit. And join us. Dick, there was a reason of all of those owls you see at the mansion. And here as well. They… are our calling card. Our way of making ourselves known.”

“What… Lincoln, what are they?”

“Dick… This, is the Court. The Court of owls.”  
“And we want to help you.”

**Author's Note:**

> My take on the "Dick Grayson could've been a member of the court" Idea. Will be updated when ideas come to me. First chapter is really short and is supposed to be an tiny intro or something.


End file.
